Abstract [en]

Purpose Initiatives using information and communication technologies (ICTs) as support for carers of dependent older people are reported since the early 1990s, mainly in form of phone services, computer networks, and video respite. Although the role of ICTs in home care gained increasing relevance in the last decades – for instance in the areas of social integration, care coordination and ambient assisted living (AAL) – few attempts have been made to systematically understand the potentialities of such technologies, overcoming single technology or intervention domains. In this respect, the issues of terminology ambiguity and lack of comparability represented major barriers, so that most of evaluation studies in this area led to mixed and/or inconclusive results. Drawing on the findings of the CARICT-project, this paper discusses the development of a theoretical and conceptual framework to assess the impact ofI CT-based interventions for carers. Method Literature review and a mapping exercise of 52 ICT-based initiatives for carers in 8 countries. Results & Discussion We will provide the results of a mapping exercise of 52 case studies, showing the diversity of existing good practices across Europe and carrying out a review of available impact assessment of these initiatives from a social ecological perspective (at micro-, meso- and macro-level). Subsewquently, we will discuss a theoretical and conceptual framework that is built on the basis of available evidence, leading toa proper classification of ICT-based interventions in relation to types of interactions between actors they support: an attempt is made to group the solutions in coherent and comprehensive classes, with related implications for impact assessments and comparative analysis. Main classes include: alarms, home automation, auto-communication, meta-services, information and training, cognitive stimulations and mental exercises, support group sessions, individual care and support services, and social participation tools. Finally, recommendations for future research in the field are formulated with regard to the assessment and comparability of these services, as well as to the testing and development of new solutions.